Davit.



P. LAGAAY AZ.

DAVIT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1912.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

vwl'm.

PIETER LAG-AAY AZ, OF ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

DAVIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 1 1 913.

Application filed Jane 20, 1912. Serial No. 704,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pmrnn LAGAAY AZ, subject of the Queen of theNetherlands, residing at \Vesterstraat 32, Rotterdam, Kingdom of theNetherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in orBelating to Davits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a davit for suspending, securing and loweringlife-boats with the object of stowing them in the smallest possiblespace and in spite of that insuring their easy, rapid and reliablemanipulation.

According to this invention the boats are placed cndwise in a tiltingframe arranged. on deck and replacing the usual type of davits, theboats being arranged with the keel facing outward. Arranged in thatmanner, a series of life-boats can be placed on both sides along thedeck, in sufficient number to carry all the passengers even of a verylarge ship.

By means of a toothed wheel transmission and of a worm gear, the framecan be turned over so as to bring it as a whole together with thelife-boat into horizontal position, the boat being in position ready tobe lowered. In that position, when the longitudinal axis of the boat isat a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the ship itself, an arm ofthe frame strikes a stop which prevents it from turning farther. Theboat is secured to the frame by means of pulley blocks, so that thepassengers can enter it in the swung out horizontal position, whereuponit can be lowered in the usual manner. The oars can also be put outready for use before the boat touches the water, so that it can bepulled away from the ship immediately it is in the water. The frame isrotatably mounted on deck in a simple manner being provided with a footresting flat on the deck when the frame is in vertical position. Thisfoot is secured by means of hooks, so that the whole frame with the boatsuspended therefrom is secured to the deck. The frame is however alsoheld by the toothed wheels of a transmission gear, so that the frame canbe turned outward by means of a hand wheel with worm gear. The verysimple manipulation makes it possible even for entirely inexperiencedpersons to lower the life-boats.

A construction according to this invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1. is an elevationof the device in the swung out position, and with the boat partlylowered, Fig. 2. a vertical section through the device with the lifeboat in the normal position of rest, Fig. 3. is a plan of Fig. 2, Fig. 4a perspective view of the frame, Fig. 5. a side elevation of a boatlowered with the ship in a characteristic position and Fig. 6. is a planof Fig. 5, the boat being however provided with fenders.

On the deck 1 of the ship are frames 2 rotatably mounted about pins 3and replacing the known davits. These pins are mounted in two brackets 4in such a manner that in the vertical position of the frame 2, the foot5 rests on the deck. For the purpose of securing the frame in the abovementioned position, one or more latches G engaging over the foot 5 maybe arranged on the deck. The frame 2 consists of two lateral parts 7,the upper portions of which have the exact shape of the gunwale of theboat. These lateral parts terminate at the bottom in the foot 5. Acurved central rib 8 joins the connecting point of the lateral parts 7,to the foot 5. A strong arm 9 is connected to the frame so that in thehorizontal position of the frame or of the life boat secured to theframe, it strikes a fixed stop 10 and thus prevents the frame from beingturned beyond the horizontal position. This arm 9 is connected in asuitable manner to the foot of the frame. Similar stops can be arrangedalso at the two lateral parts 7 of the frame for instance under thepivot pins 3. As already stated, the pin 3 rigidly secured to the frame,is mounted in brackets 4. These brackets 4 are preferably connectedtogether by cross-bars 11 and 12 arranged on the deck (Figs. 2 and 3) sothat a firm connection is insured. The bracket is of course firmlybolted to the deck.

For the purpose of turning over the frame, the pin 3 is provided at oneor at. both ends with a toothed wheel or quadrant 13 engaging withtoothed wheels or quadrants 14 secured to the spindle 15 mounted in thebracket 4. The spindle 15 is moreover provided with a worm wheel 16which can be driven by means of the worm 18 provided with a hand wheel17. The life-boat is suspended by two pulley blocks (Fig. 1) which areattached to the central rib 8 of the frame. The ends of the two pulleyblock cables are placed over the pulleys 19 and 20 arranged at oppositesides of the central rib 8, so that the cables can be easily tighteneduntil the gunwale of the boatis brought firmly against the lateral parts7. The cables are then secured to cleats 21 arranged on the foot 5 ofthe frame 2. In that position of the boat, in which it is securelytightened against the frame, the projection 22 which constitutes an eXtension of the central rib, engages under the end of the boat and formsa point of suspension for the stem or stern according to the position inwhich the boat is put in. As a further means for securing the boat tothe frame, a bracket 23 can be placed about the body of the boat andconnected in an easily detachable manner to the lateral parts of theframe, for instance by means of eye and pin connections. Moreover, theboat rests on the arm 9 with its puddening 2% arranged on the stern orstem. If the ship has a list or if for some reason itis feared that thestem or stern of the boat will be pressed too firmly or thrown violentlyagainst the side of the ship, a spring controlled roller 25 (Fig. 5)arranged at the stern or stem and insures a safe lowering of the boat.In order to prevent the swinging of the boat during lowering, the boatmay be pro-- vided with lateral fenders 27 provided at their ends withrollers 520. In the position of rest, all the life-boats are thereforestanding endwise on the deck and thus occupy only very little space.They can be covered, together with the frame and driving gear, by acover, so that the whole is protected against damp. hforeover, watercannot get into the boats when standing upright, so that the plug in thebottom of the boat can be always left in.

The manipulation of the boat is so simple that even a passenger canlower it. It is merely necessary to loosen the latch 6, and to removethe bracket 23, whereupon the boat together with the frame can be atonce moved by means of the hand wheel 17 into the horizontal positionshown in Fig. 1, so that the arm 5) engages with the stop 10. hi reover,as a further means for securing it in that position, a stop 28 connectedto the toothed quadrant 13 may be adapted to engage a stop 29 providedon the bracket. In order to facilitate entry into the boat, a wide plankcould be placed over the stem. It will be seen that as soon as the boatis in the horizontal position, a person can enter it at once. Thelowering of the boat is then effected in the usual manner.

If the boat is to remain alongside of the ship, the painter of the boatcan be secured to the end of the frame. The frame is then used in thehorizontal position as a boom.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a davit device, a normally vertically positioned frame pivoted tothe deck of a ship, means for securing a life boat to said frame withits longitudinal axis extending at right angles with respect to the deckof the ship and having its keel facing out ward, and means for loweringsaid frame into a horizontal position, said first men tio-ned meansserving to lower said boat from said frame when the latter in itshorizontal position.

2. In a davit device, a norn'ially verticall positioned frame pivoted tothe deck of a ship, means for securing a life boat to said frame withits longitudinal axis extending at right angles with respect to the deckof the ship and having its k-eol facing outward, and means for loweringsaid frame into a horizontal position, and means positively holiiingsaidframe in its horizontal position, said first mentioned means serving tolower said boat from said frame when the latter is in its horizontalposition.

3. In a davit device, a pivoted frame comprising a bifurcated member anda central member, releasable means for securing a life-boat, to thecentral member and between the bifurcated members, means for loweringsaid frame into a horizontal position and means for lowering said boatfrom said central member, with its stem or stern toward the ship.

4. The combination with the deck of a ship of a frame pivoted theretoand comprising two side members, a central member, a projecting arm, anda foot, a life-boat arranged between said side members and resting withone end on said arm, means for maintaining said frame in a verticalposition, a stop for engaging said arm when the frame is in horizontalposition, a band passing around said boat and attached to said sidemembers when in vertical position and means for lowering said boat whenthe frame is in horizontal position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

PIETER LAGAAY AZ.

lVitnesses J OHANNES LAGAAY, JoHAN RosnnooM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

